August 12, 2015

Chapter 34, Page 319—A

At nine o’clock I stood in front of the apartment in number 129 and knocked and waited. The door opened. It was Ava’s mom. “Come in, hijo, come in,” she said, hugging me.

I stepped into the apartment. There was no one on the couch, no one in the parlor. I saw a stranger sitting at the kitchen table. Georgie, I thought. Ava was just coming out of the john. She hugged me and I looked past her into the bedroom, where Trina was standing at the door looking at me. Georgie smiled and I was introduced to him. He smiled and offered me a drink.

“No, thank you,” I said, and as a chair was offered to me, I added, “Mind if I sit in the parlor?” I sat on the chair that I imagined Georgie would have been sitting in and I looked at Trina. There was nothing to say, nothing to do. I just sat there and made small talk. Trina, say something,  I thought, anything.

But Trina didn’t say anything, and after what seemed like many days, I heard myself saying, “Well, it’s been nice visiting you all. I’m sorry, but I gotta go now, I, uh, got an appointment.”

“Oh, I’m sorry you have to go, hijo,” said Ava’s mom.

“We’ll see you again, won’t we?” Ava asked.

“Yeah, sure,” I said. I looked at Trina. She smiled something at me, and I walked out the door and down the stairs and into the cold street, thinking, What a blank that was. I should have known, nothing is run the same, nothing stays the same. You can’t make yesterday come back today.

Whose apartment did Piri go to?

Who did Piri see in the bedroom?

Why did Piri say he had to leave?

What did Piri and Trina say to each other?

Chapter 34, Page 319—B

At nine o’clock I stood in front of apartment 129 and knocked. The door opened. It was Ava’s mom. “Come in,” she said, hugging me.

I stepped into the apartment. I saw a stranger sitting at the kitchen table. Georgie, I thought. Ava was coming. She hugged me and I looked past her into the bedroom, where Trina stood looking at me. Georgie smiled and I was introduced to him.

“Mind if I sit in the parlor?” I sat on the chair that I imagined Georgie would have sat in and I looked at Trina. There was nothing to say, nothing to do. I just sat there and made small talk. Trina, say something,  I thought, anything.

But Trina didn’t say anything. After what seemed like many days, I heard myself saying, “Well, it’s been nice visiting you all. I’m sorry, but I gotta go now, I, uh, got an appointment.”

I looked at Trina. She smiled at me, and I walked out the door and down the stairs and into the cold street, thinking, I should have known, nothing is run the same, nothing stays the same. You can’t make yesterday come back today.

Whose apartment did Piri go to?

Who did Piri see in the bedroom?

Why did Piri say he had to leave?

Chapter 34, Page 319—C

I stood in front of apartment 129 and knocked. The door opened. It was Ava’s mom. “Come in,” she said.

I stepped into the apartment. Ava was coming. She hugged me and I looked into the bedroom, where Trina stood looking at me.

“Mind if I sit in the parlor?” I sat on the chair and I looked at Trina. There was nothing to say, nothing to do. I just sat there and made small talk. Trina, say something,  I thought, anything.

But Trina didn’t say anything. After what seemed like many days, I heard myself saying, “Well, it’s been nice visiting you all. I’m sorry, but I gotta go now, I, uh, got an appointment.”

I looked at Trina. She smiled at me, and I walked out the door and down the stairs and into the cold street, thinking, I should have known, nothing is run the same, nothing stays the same. You can’t make yesterday come back today.

Who did Piri see in the bedroom?

Why did Piri say he had to leave?